Eighth-year head coach Abby Brethauer will look to continue to lead the University of Mary Washington swimming teams to unprecedented heights after a stellar first seven years that have seen the Eagles win every CAC Championship, advance to NCAA Championship action in record numbers, have both squads gain All-America honors, and coach the first men's national champion in program history.

Brethauer, who served as an assistant coach at Columbia University from 2004 to 2009, brings a wealth of competition and coaching experience to the position. In five years at Columbia, she worked extensively with sprinters, with that group achieving great success. She also played a key hand in recruiting and administration of the program in and out of the water. She began her college coaching career for one season as an assistant at Hamilton College. Brethauer has also coached extensively at swim camps at Bates College, Carthage College, and Hamilton College.

Prior to her coaching career, Brethauer was a 12-time All-American and three-time team national champion at Kenyon College. A team captain for the Ladies in 2002, Brethauer is a former NCAA Division III national record holder, and has been a USS competitor at the age group, senior, and national levels.

She received her bachelor of arts degree from Kenyon in 2002 in women's and gender studies, and then gained a master of arts degree from Columbia in Kinesiology.